Coin bank with removable cylinders



y 1951 o. H. BRASIER 2,552,931

COIN BANK WITH REMOVABLE CYLINDERS Filed April 19, 1949 flliflflasier'INVENTOR BY W.

ATTORNEYS Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to pocket banks, and more particularly, hasreference to a coin bank of novel and attractive design, especiallyconstructed in a manner to permit ready substitution of an emptycoin-receiving means utilized therein, for one which is full.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a bank of thecharacter stated which can be issued. by banks or other savingsinstitutions, as an advertisement and also for the promotion of savings,and which, when used by the banks depositors, will not require theexpenditure of more than a minimum amount of time by the teller or otheremployee to whom the coin bank is turned over by the customer when thecoin bank is full.

Another important object is to provide a coin bank of the type statedwhich will be simply constructed, durable, will embody no moving parts,and will be attractive in appearance.

Another important object is to provide a coin bank of the characterstated which will be equipped to receive paper currency as well ascoins.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a coinbank constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 5 designates a base which can be ofmetal, plastic, or any other suitable material. In general conformation, the base is preferably oblong in shape, although theparticular shape of the base is not critical to the invention,permitting the shape to be varied as desired. As a matter of fact, theparticular shape of the illustrated coin bank is in general not criticalto the invention, since obviously design features can be given to a coinbank, varying its general appearance while not changing its mechanicalarrangement of parts.

The base 5 is formed in its upper surface, with spaced apart circularrecesses 6, receiving the transparent cylinders I closed at their lowerends but formed open at their upper ends. The transparent cylinders 1can be of plastic or any other desired material, and are adapted to beremovably but snugly fitted within the recesses E of the base.

The spaced apart coin-receiving cylinders I extend upwardly from thebase into the cover 8', said cover 8 being of the same general shape asthe base so far as its outer conformation is concerned, but being ofinverted cup-like formation. Thus, the cover 8 is formed with a closedupper end, a side wall depending therefrom, and an open lower end intowhich extend the coin cyl inders 1. It may be noted that the coin cylinders engage tightly the opposite ends of the cover 8, and thus the coincylinders I will provide a guide for depositing the cover 8 upon thebase 5 in proper relationship to the base. In other words, the cylinders1 can serve as guide means for lowering the cover 8 upon the base, andin fact serve as a means for holding the cover to the base except uponthe exertion ofpositive effort to remove the cover from the base.

A lock 9 is preferably provided in the base, adapted to permit the coverto be locked thereto after the cover is mounted in the positionillustrated in the drawings. Generally, the bank teller or otheremployee of the financial institution issuing the coin banks, would bethe only one possessing the key, so that when the coin bank is full, theperson having the coin bank is required to go to the financialinstitution for the purpose of having the coin bank opened and thecontents removed.

Formed in the end of the cover 8 are the vertically disposed closedslots 19, and graduations or a scale I I are marked on the outer surfaceof the cover 8, for the purpose of indicating the number of coins, asfor example dimes, contained within the transparent cylinders 1. Thus,for example, when the cylinders 1 are approximately half full, theholder of the coin bank is enabled clearly to see the extent to which.the cylinders are filled, and may notice, for example, that there are 30dimes in each of the cylinders, this being readily observed bycomparison of the coin level with the adjacent graduation or scalemarking.

In the opposite faces of the cover 8 there can be provided recesses I 2,receiving photographs or advertising media l3, and a transparent windowor cover M can be mounted in said recesses to prevent soiling of saidpictures, as for example snapshots, or advertising media. 7

It will be noticed that when all the parts are assembled as in Fig. 4,there will be defined in the center of the coin bank a compartment [5for receiving paper currency. This compartment will be defined betweenthe opposite and spaced apart coin cylinders 1, and the opposite facesof the cover 8.

For the purpose of permitting the deposit of paper currency into thecompartment 15, Iprovide the circular opening it formed in the closedupper end of the cover 8, at the center thereof.

For the purpose of permitting dimes or other coins to be deposited inthe coin cylinders 'l, 1'. provide the inclined coin slots 1'! atopposite ends of the cover 8, these inclined slots I! being so arrangedas to cause a coin deposited therein to be dropped directly into thecoin cylinders T, the upper ends of the coin cylinders 7 being closed bythe upper end of the cover 8.

In use, the holder of the coin bank deposits coins of the properdenomination in the respective coin cylinders 7, through the coin slotsl'l. At all times, the user is enabled to know the number of coinswithin the cylinders and When the cylinders are full, the user goes tothe financial institution, where an employee of the institution unlocksthe coin bank. Said employee, as will be noted, simply lifts the filledcoin cylinders. 7 from their recesses 6, and without. bothering to countthe coins at'that, particular moment; can give the customer two emptycoin. cylinders. At any convenient time, filled coin cylinders. broughtin by customers of the institu tion can be emptied directly into coinwrappers, this being permitted by reason of the construction of each,cylinder 7, which is closed atone end but is open at the other end.Thus, the coinsare simply depositedin a conventional, coin wrapperbyup-ending the coin cylinders 1, and of course, by noting the level ofthe coins within the coin cylinders, it can be known exactly how muchmoney isrepresented by said coins within 7 the cylinders,

Advantages of the invention reside in its durability, lack of movingparts, and simplicity of construction. Further important advantages arereadily noted as residing in the fact that it is not necessary forthefinancial institution employee to count the coins in the presence of thecustomer. All that is necessary is that two other empty coin cylindersbe given the customer, in place of the filled coin cylinders which thecus-- tomer leaves with the institution.

At all times, additionally, the customer is. enabled, toknow how manycoins he has in the cylinders, because the cylinders are transparent,and can be viewed through the vertical slots ill and" the coin levelreadily compared with the scale markings.

It: will be understood that the coin bank constructed along the linesset forth herein can be varied as to ornamental design, and it is notdesired that I be limited to the particular shape and arrangement of theparts, except so far as called for by the claim.

It should be further understood that although, as indicated previouslyin this specification, a financial institution can keep the key, andunlock the banks, nevertheless it is quite possible that the coin bankmight be. sold to an individual outright, who would of course befurnished with the necessary key, this being a distinct possibilitywhere, for example, the banks might be sold tocustom'ers. through themail to points not serviced by a financial institution and where thecost of mailing the bank back and forth would be prohibitive.

I claim:

A coin bank comprising a base having deep, circular, spaced recessesformed in its top surface; transparent, one-piece coin cylinders ofcircular cross section having open upper ends and having their lower endportions removably seatedin and frictionally gripped by the walls ofsaid recesses, said'cylinders' extending upwardly in parallel relationfrom said base a substantial distance; and a one piece; cover ofinverted cup-like con-figuration fitted over the upwardly extendedportions of the cylinders and shaped to include a closed upper end and aside Wall integral. with and depending from said closed end, oppositeportions of; said side wall being curved to correspond to the. curvatureof the cylinders and being releasably and frictionallygripped by theupwardly ex tended portions of the cylinders, said cylinders beingotherwise free of attachment to the base and cover and constitutingdowel members. separably assembling the cover to the base, the curvedportions of said-side Wall having elongated viewing slots extendedlongitudinally of the upwardly extended cylinder portions, there beingcoin-deposit slots formed in the upper endof the cover and opening into.the upper ends of the cylinders.

OSCAR H, BRASIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record'in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Gray Aug, 19, 1947

